Union of Souls
by Ach
Summary: My first fanfic ever! SuzaLulu: Lelouch was a total loner up until he met Suzaku at school. With their world crashing down around them all they can do is cling to each other. Or can they?
1. Prologue Part 1: The Meeting

Prologue-Part One

The Meeting

Lelouch was in the middle of ignoring every annoying noise spewing forth from his teacher's mouth. She had been in the middle of teaching the class about the importance of remembering your multiplication when he had stopped listening in favor of doodling across the paper that was supposed to contain his notes with the dismissive thought, "As if we really needed a twenty minute lecture on the importance of multiplying and how we will use it in our everyday lives."

So it was to his utter surprise when a kid he had never seen before plopped down in the chair on his left. Now, Lelouch wasn't normally so easily startled, and he couldn't even remember the last time he had let the emotion spread across his face. Something clearly must have shown however, whether it had been plastered across his face or shown in his startling violet eyes he was unsure, because the new kid glanced over at him and by way of explanation said, "Hey! I'm Suzaku by the way. My family and I just moved here from Detroit."

The first thing Lelouch noticed about Suzaku after he had regained some of his customary composure was his dark green, emotion filled eyes. Lelouch had often heard the saying, "The eyes are the windows through which one may gaze upon another's soul", and if that were true then Suzaku's eyes could only be truly described as a grand stage for his emotions to dance across at their leisure. The next thing that came to Lelouch's attention about Suzaku was his messy hair and broad, charmingly adorable smile. He was amazed by how open this total stranger was with his emotions and at how happy he seemed to be at being cooped up in this hell disguised as an elementary school.

As he began to let his eyes wander from the newcomer's face, he took in his uniform tan and athletic build. Feeling his heart race and a light blush spread across his face for some reason unknown to him, he mumbled back to Suzaku, "I'm Lelouch."

Suzaku gave him yet another toothy grin and turned back to the front of the classroom to at least seem like he was half listening to whatever the teacher was spouting on about now, unlike Lelouch who kept his eyes glued to Suzaku, unable to take in enough of him at once. After about a minute or so of this, Suzaku turned towards Lelouch and whispered, "Is she normally this long winded?" Lelouch, who was totally unprepared for the change in subject, stared at Suzaku for a score of seconds before his giggles bubbled forth uncontrollably. Even as he was doing it, Lelouch couldn't believe he was giggling like some absent minded female staring at the guys in their gym outfits.

The sudden burst of girlish giggles was like a beacon for the teacher to find the source of such a disturbance to her lecture. She was shocked to find that the culprit was Lelouch though. She normally would have asked such a disruptive student to be quiet and pay attention, but Lelouch was never one to be openly happy, she couldn't even recall Lelouch so much as smiling, much less giggling as if the whole world were some gigantic joke only he could comprehend.

--------------------------------OH LOOK DOTS-----------------------------------

Lelouch and Suzaku continued to joke and giggle like a couple of girls throughout the rest of the class until it was finally time for recess. When Lelouch informed Suzaku that they had recess after their math class and that meant they had an hour of free time to do what ever they wished, Suzaku's face lit up with such radiant joy that Lelouch couldn't help but wonder at the fact that one person could hold in so much emotion at once and not burst like a balloon.

"So what all is there to do out at recess", Suzaku asked excitedly, dragging Lelouch through the halls by his wrist.

"Umm", answered Lelouch, "lots of things I suppose, and could we slow down just a bit? It's not as if outside is going to leave without us."

Suzaku stopped and grinned down at the shorter boy saying, "Come on Lulu-chan, don't be such a stick in the mud. And besides, the sooner we get outside, the sooner we get to do all the fun stuff we're missing out on discussing it."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow quizzically asking, "Fun stuff? All that's out there is grass, dirt, screaming kids and creepy spiders." He shuddered at the last when an even more important question came to him, "And what did you just call me?" he asked.

"I called you Lulu-chan. It's your nickname so you had best just get used to it." Then with an evil gleam in his beautiful green eyes he asked, "So does that mean you're afraid of spiders?"

Lelouch didn't have to see his friends face, he could hear the grin in the playfully asked question. "Don't even think about it," he shot back adding a glare that could have sent a pit-bull running with its tail tucked for good measure. "He wouldn't," thought Lelouch as he narrowed his violet eyes further, glaring at his new found friend.

"All right, all right," laughed Suzaku raising his one free hand defensively as he did so, seeing as his other hand was still clasped firmly around Lulu-chan's wrist.

A bell rang throughout the school, bringing the pair back to reality. "Oh no," Suzaku practically screamed, "we're late to recess! All the other kids have probably started without us!" He shot down the hallway like a cork from a bottle, looking for a door to the outside world.

Lelouch rolled his violet eyes and followed his friend. Not that he really had much of a choice seeing as his friend's hand was still clamped firmly around his wrist as if afraid that if he let go his only friend would disappear. Lelouch was surprised to find that he didn't mind the contact in the slightest.

Later that night Lelouch was lying on the silk sheets of his bed in his parent's mansion, he couldn't help but smile at the thought that he had finally found a friend that he felt he could trust to always be there, and nothing could possibly tear them apart.

Right?

End of Prologue – Part One


	2. Prologue Part 2: The Bond

Prologue-Part Two

The Bond

An entire week passed by in a similar fashion to the first day. It was the following week after they had first met that they were lying on a hill at recess watching the clouds roll by and rambling aimlessly when Lelouch said, "Hey Suzaku," after a brief pause in the conversation.

Glancing over at Lelouch with curiosity coloring his eyes he answered, "Yeah?" He wondered what was on the other boy's mind.

"Do you think…" began Lelouch before saying, "No, never mind. It's stupid."

Interest piqued further, Suzaku rolled onto his side so that he was facing Lelouch and asked, "What is it Lulu-chan?"

Still staring up into the sky Lelouch answered, "Just forget it. It's stupid."

"Oh come on Lulu-chan," Suzaku insisted, "you know you can ask me anything."

"Just forget it. It's stupid," repeated Lelouch, this time turning his head to look at Suzaku as he did so.

Concern blooming on his face, Suzaku asked, "Has someone been bullying you Lulu-chan?" And without even waiting for his friend to answer he went into full rant mode, proclaiming such things as, "…beat them with soda cans," and other such nonsense, eliciting a giggle from Lelouch which in turn caused Suzaku to pause in his rant and glare down at the smaller boy for not taking his proposed forms of vindication and justice more seriously. He couldn't, however, remain angry at his Lulu-chan while he was giggling so cutely. Pretty soon the two of them were giggling uncontrollably and all seemed right in the world.

"Well," said Lelouch with a cute smile still on his face, "I suppose I'll just say it so some poor, innocent bystanders don't get beaten with soda cans or slapped with a flaming fish."

That caused Suzaku's smile to become a large grin as he waited for Lelouch to say whatever it was he was going to tell him.

"I was wondering…" He began before pausing and deciding he still didn't want to ask Suzaku for fear of rejection and instead asked, "I was wondering why you and your family moved from Detroit. You've never told me, so I've been wondering."

The grin faded from Suzaku's face as Lelouch asked his question and was replaced by a deep frown before he answered. "I'd really rather not talk about it, Lelouch. Just know it's because of my father." As he spoke, he sat up and turned his back to Lelouch, hugging his knees to his chest and glaring at the ground between his feet.

Lelouch's concern grew at Suzaku's angry tone and the fact that he had used his real name rather than his nickname. "I'm sorry," he apologized, sitting up as he did so, "I didn't mean to offend you. Just forget I asked."

Suzaku's frown softened into a small smile and he said, "No, don't worry about it, I shouldn't have snapped at you for asking," still without turning around.

Following the urge of the moment, Lelouch leaned over and gave his friend a reassuring hug, whispering into Suzaku's ear, "I'll be right here next to you when you're ready to talk about it."

After a brief moment of hesitation Suzaku turned around and embraced Lelouch as well, whispering back, "Thanks Lulu-chan."

They remained in their friendly embrace for a while longer, both wishing to preserve the sense of safety and reassurance they felt while tucked away in each other's arms.

All throughout the remaining months of the school year whenever they had a problem they wanted to talk about, they would pass a note to the other, telling them to meet them at the hill during recess. There they would tell each other about the problem, and they would discuss solutions for it. They seldom worked, but they took comfort in each others caring presence.

-------------------------SODA CANS N' FLAMIN' FISH-------------------------

The school year had progressed into the last few weeks before Christmas break. Everyone was excited about the upcoming holiday, and Lelouch and Suzaku were no exception. They were just as excited, if not more so, about the rapidly approaching holiday. Lelouch and Suzaku, although mainly Suzaku, were constantly trading outlandish gift ideas, singing Christmassy songs, and just living life as happily as two best friends possibly could.

It was just three weeks before Christmas break would start that Lelouch's world would begin to flip upside down.

Lelouch walked into class and instantly noticed something was missing. Suzaku wasn't in his customary seat, or anywhere in the classroom for that matter.

Lelouch sat down in his seat thinking that Suzaku must be running late or something and would surely be walking through the door any moment now.

That moment and several others passed, and still Suzaku hadn't walked through the door. Disappointed, Lelouch shook off the worry that was beginning to gnaw at his belly with thoughts like, "He's just feeling under the weather," and, "He'll be back tomorrow."

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday came and went and still Suzaku hadn't come back to school. By the time Friday arrived, Suzaku still wasn't back and wild, often entirely unrealistic, thoughts raced through Lelouch's mind in a desperate attempt to explain Suzaku's continued absence.

"What's wrong," he thought, "nothing all that horrible could have possibly happened, right?" "What if his dad had caught up to them? What happened that's keeping him away from school for an entire week?!"

By the end of the day he was almost in hysterics, and as the weekend went by, all he could think of was one question. Why? Why would Suzaku leave him alone, all by himself, without so much as a phone call to explain?

When he walked into class on Monday he didn't even bother looking for Suzaku, keeping his eyes locked on the floor and shuffling towards his desk.

"Lulu-chan!" called a voice from somewhere in the back of the classroom.

Hardly even daring to hope, Lelouch glanced up towards the voice and saw it was indeed his Suzaku who had spoken, waving to Lelouch as he entered the classroom like he'd never even been gone. Tears welling in his eyes, Lelouch bounded across the room and tackled his best and only friend to the floor. As he lay there, sobbing against Suzaku's chest, it dawned on him that the void he had felt open up in his heart when he thought he had lost Suzaku would, inevitably, come again. He resolved to make the most of every single speck of time he had with Suzaku from then on.

After he had recovered from being tackled to the floor, he was surprised to find Lelouch lying on top of him. Not only was his best friend in the whole wide world lying on top of him, he was sobbing into his shirt like it was some sort of comforting pillow. Running his hands up and down Lelouch's back to calm him down, Suzaku asked, "What's wrong Lulu-chan?"

Suzaku could feel the sobs wracking Lelouch's slender frame as he sobbed in answer, "I thought… I thought I had lost you."

"Lost me? You couldn't lose me even if I had to track you through the Sahara Desert."

Lelouch laugh-sobbed into Suzaku's shirt then looked up and giggled at Suzaku saying, "That was really corny."

Suzaku smiled down at Lelouch and commented, "It got you to stop crying into my shirt though."

Giggling cutely Lelouch buried his face into Suzaku's shirt again and mumbled, "I'm glad you're back, I missed you."

"I only had the flu Lulu-chan. Geez, maybe I should get it more often if I'm going to be greeted like this every time I get back," he said with a large grin on his face as he ran his hand through Lelouch's hair comfortingly.

Lelouch giggled into Suzaku's chest then picked up his head and pecked Suzaku on the lips and whispered, "Welcome back."

End of Prologue – Part Two


	3. Prologue Part 3: The Parting

Prologue-Part Three

The Parting

Author Note: There are three social classes: Noble, Commoner, and Half-Blood. Half-bloods are the offspring of a Noble and Commoner. They are tattooed at birth, if even allowed to live, and blacklisted to the rest of the world. They are beneath even Commoner's in rank and rarely move out of poverty.

As the scene unfolded, the teacher walked into the classroom and began to organize her things in preparation for the hectic day before her. It wasn't until she began to tell the class to calm down and get out their homework that she noticed the two students lying on the floor of the classroom. She felt her jaw drop as she realized it was Lelouch and Suzaku. Only, Lelouch was practically straddling Suzaku on the floor and kissing him! She walked towards the pair with the intention of stopping the free show they were giving. If the two of them weren't careful, they would soon have their own fan club!

Lelouch was just getting off of Suzaku and suggesting they get off the floor before even more people noticed them when he became aware of an ominous shadow looming over him. Glancing over his shoulder he was startled to find their teacher standing behind him. He jumped up and stuttered, "We… we were just…" in explanation. "I don't want to hear it. You both have detention after school for half an hour," she said, cutting off Lelouch before he could finish coming up with a believable excuse for their position.

Lelouch looked down at the floor looking like he was about to start crying again when Suzaku stood up and hugged him from behind whispering, "It's alright Lulu-chan, I don't mind being trapped in a room with you for an extra half hour," softly enough so that no one but Lelouch could hear. "Thanks," Lelouch whispered back over his shoulder as the teacher walked back to her desk to begin today's lecture.

They sat down and started taking notes on the lecture, passing notes while doing so. All throughout the day, both Lelouch and Suzaku wore a small smile, though for different reasons. Lelouch's smile was due to the fact that Suzaku had come back to him and the quick kiss they had just shared. Suzaku's smile, however, was because of the fact that Lulu-chan, _his_ Lulu-chan, had missed him. It was because of this fact that he felt he may have finally found a friend that would always be there for him.

The rest of the day passed without incident, both simply enjoying the return of the others' presence. For Lelouch, it felt as if the cold void in his heart had been filled with the warmth of his friend's loving embrace.

By the time the end of the day rolled around, things between them had returned to its normal state. Suzaku and Lelouch walked into the classroom that served as the detention classroom for the entire school. Chatting excitedly about a new movie, Gloomy Bear, that they wanted to go see when Suzaku noticed that the classroom was entirely empty except for them.

"Umm, Lulu-chan, did you bring us to the wrong classroom? There's nobody here incase you hadn't noticed," said Suzaku pointedly, glancing over at Lelouch as he spoke.

With a confused look on his face, Lelouch began to pull out the post-it note their teacher had given him that morning telling them the room number they were supposed to report to for detention. "No," Lelouch said, having gotten out the post-it note and compared the number on it to the one stamped on the wall outside the door, "the numbers are the same, every one else must be running late or something."

"And look," said Lelouch, "there's a sign in sheet right there on the desk. This has to be the right classroom."

"If you're sure," answered Suzaku, sounding less than convinced as he did so.

They signed in and sat down in the desks closest to the door.

"So," said Suzaku in a rather weak attempt to start up the conversation again.

"So," repeated Lelouch, making absolutely no attempt to elaborate on Suzaku's one word sentence, finding it much more entertaining to watch him squirm in discomfort. "He's so adorable when he's uncomfortable," observed Lelouch to himself.

"That's not fair Lulu-chan," complained Suzaku, "I can't be the only one to come up with conversation. It's not as much fun if you don't chip in as well."

Lelouch just giggled cutely in response which caused Suzaku to cross his arms across his chest and pout. Lelouch giggled again and this time said, "You look so cute when you pout."

Suzaku grinned in response and replied, "If that's how you want to play Lulu-chan, _you_ looked cute sobbing into my chest this morning."

Now it was Lelouch's turn to pout cutely as Suzaku laughed. It wasn't long before both had removed the tense atmosphere the empty classroom had created.

"Speaking of this morning," said Suzaku, "was that kiss because you missed me or…" He let his sentence trail off there with a light blush coloring his face. Lelouch instantly understood what Suzaku was trying to ask and stuttered "I ugh… I umm…" Tired of waiting for his friend to make a coherent sentence, Suzaku leaned in and kissed Lelouch quite a bit longer than the peck Lelouch had given him that morning.

Lelouch tensed at first at the feeling of his friends lips covering his own, but as he relaxed into the kiss, the answer to Suzaku's question presented itself to him; he had kissed him in part due to the fact that he had missed him, but mostly because, deep down, he had wanted to do that since the day they met.

Once they broke apart to gasp for air, Suzaku asked, "That help you figure it out?" Lelouch simply nodded, still breathless from the prolonged kiss.

"So," asked Suzaku once they had recovered a bit more, "which is it?"

Lelouch leaned in and kissed Suzaku again, though not nearly as long, and pulled back a bit and whispered, "Both."

-----------------------------Airplanes Aren't Square------------------------------

Lelouch ran down the hall hoping he could make it through the door before the bell rang to announce his tardiness. As luck would have it, he did indeed make it; he was just sitting down in his seat and attempting to catch his breath when the bell rang. Suzaku patted his friend's back, waiting for him to explain his close call with being tardy. He was surprised to find that instead of explaining, Lelouch was holding out a little bow with a ribbon tied around it.

Suzaku took the proffered box and gave Lelouch a questioning look. Rolling his eyes Lelouch said, "Just open it."

With a mental shrug Suzaku opened the little box to find a brand new, shiny cell phone sitting in it. With his eyes full of surprise and wonder, he gaped at Lelouch and asked, "You're giving this to me?"

Rolling his eyes again, Lelouch answered, "Of course I'm giving it to you. Now that we're 'dating' as you put it I figured it would be handy to be able to contact each other."

When Suzaku protested, saying a new cell phone wasn't needed Lelouch put his hand over his friend's mouth stating, "If you feel bad about taking it, just think of it as an early Christmas present."

Setting down the phone on his desk, Suzaku leaned over and hugged his best friend for all he was worth.

"Suzaku… can't… breathe…" gasped Lelouch. Suzaku let go, mumbling a "Sorry," abashedly and flashing a toothy grin at Lelouch who rolled his eyes and smiled back.

----------------------------Airplanes Aren't Square-------------------------------

It was now the last two weeks before the Christmas break and Lelouch had something he had to ask Suzaku. "Would I come to your birthday!" exclaimed Suzaku, "What kind of a boyfriend would I be if I didn't?"

Relief washed over Lelouch's face as he heard Suzaku's answer. The rest of the week was nothing but a blur and full of anticipation for the upcoming weekend.

The day of the party, Lelouch tried to make sure everything was in place to make sure his friend felt at home while there. The door bell rang and he ran to answer it. Suzaku stood in the doorway, gaping at the mansion of a house that his boyfriend lived in.

"Well don't just stand there gaping like a fish out of water," said Lelouch. He brought Suzaku inside, showed him into the entertainment center and had a blast playing Super Smash Bros. for hours until they agreed that they were both ready to go to sleep.

They slipped out of their day clothes and into their P.J's. Suzaku's were a baby blue that were clearly hand-me-downs since the shirt kept slipping down his shoulder. Every time it did, Lelouch got a brief glimpse of an odd tattoo on Suzaku's left shoulder blade.

"What is that tattoo…" began Lelouch as his mother walked into the room. She must have heard him too because the smile fell from her face and she asked in an angry voice "What's your name again?" addressing Suzaku.

"Suza… Suzaku Kururugi,"

Her nostrils flared and she shrieked, "Out! Get out of my house you half-blood scum!"

Suzaku bolted from the room and out the front door. Lelouch followed him, shouting his name until he stopped and glanced over his shoulder. His eyes were cold and emotionless as he said, "Don't ever talk to me again Lelouch." He turned back around and jogged down the street.

Lelouch could feel his heart break; almost hear it shatter in his chest as his Suzaku spoke. He felt tears run down his face as his Suzaku jogged down the sidewalk without looking back; felt his legs fail him as he crumpled to the sidewalk. His Suzaku, his first, best, and only friend had just rounded the corner and disappeared forever. Lelouch's broken heart throbbed and he sobbed into the concrete sidewalk beneath him.

He was alone. The first winter snow fell to the sound of Lelouch's muffled sobs.

End of Prologue – Part Three


	4. Chapter 1: Reunion

Chapter One

Reunion

It was Friday, December 17, 2008 and Lelouch was having a really shitty day.

He was skimming through the mounds of paperwork on his desk without really taking in any of it. The main reasons for his shitty day consisted of having woken up late, not eating a thing all day, a deal not going through, his secretary quitting because he called her a useless whore, and other such business related annoyances.

On any other day Lelouch would have been able to cope with all these pressures with the same cold, analytic indifference he did everything else. Today, however, was the day when emotion colored his world from gray to a depressing black. Today was December 17, the 7 year anniversary of the day his world had been shattered; the same day as when the love of his life had walked out of his world without so much as a single glance back.

Even thinking of that long since passed memory caused his eyes to moisten, his frown to deepen, and his heart to throb painfully.

Lelouch glanced out his office window and sighed. "Suzaku," thought Lelouch for the thousandth time that day, "I would give up everything to get the chance to ask you why you left me alone."

Snapping himself out of his thoughts of the past, Lelouch growled at his inability to lock away unwanted memories. He stood and walked towards the door, deciding that if he couldn't lock away memories, he'd just have to drown them out in the numbness of being drunk.

***P.O.V. Swap***

Suzaku sighed as he drove along. He knew what today was. The same day he had made the biggest mistake of his life. The same day he'd left Lelouch sobbing his name into the sidewalk.

Yes, he knew what today was and it brought it all back: the memories before and after. He hadn't, in his heart, meant what he said to Lelouch that night. He had known, even then, that Lelouch was the only one who could have consoled him. So, why? Why had he pushed him away?

He had intended to mend what he could when he saw Lelouch at school, but Lelouch hadn't been at school. And when Suzaku had abandoned school in order to dash to Lelouch's house, he found it was vacant, not even a scrap of his Lulu-chan remained. Lelouch had disappeared while his back was turned; he would never get the chance to hold his Lulu-chan and tell him how very sorry he was.

Suzaku pulled himself from his morbid cloud of thoughts and memories as he pulled into the parking lot of the bar he worked at.

A bartender. That was the best a half-blood like himself could even dream of becoming. He had the day off however, and had only shown up to drown out the sorrows that this day always dragged up.

He walked into the bar and took up his usual seat. He ordered a drink and sat sipping from it as he eyed the occupants of the room. His eyes rested on a man sitting at the bar.

As if sensing his gaze, the man glanced over his shoulder, looking directly at Suzaku.

Suzaku felt his jaw drop as he watched Lelouch turn back around, down the last dregs of his drink, then stumble toward the door.

Suzaku tossed some money onto the table for his unfinished drink and hurried after Lelouch, having no intention of losing his friend for a second time in this lifetime.

***P.O.V. Swap***

Lelouch had left work to get drunk and forget about Suzaku and as far as he could tell, he was doing a damn good job of it. He couldn't even remember how to spell his own name, let alone think of Suzaku.

Suddenly feeling as if he was being watched, Lelouch glanced over his shoulder to find a man, he thought it was a man at least, looking in his direction. Colors swam before his eyes as he downed the dregs of his drink and stumbled toward the door on unsteady feet.

As he made it outside, the world spun sickeningly and the ground rushed up to meet him. In the few moments before he passed out, Lelouch noticed someone hurrying towards him.

"Suzaku…" he mumbled before the comforting darkness draped itself over his mind.

***P.O.V. Swap***

Suzaku rushed out the door of the bar just as Lelouch collapsed onto the ground. He ran to Lelouch, checking for a pulse.

"Good," thought Suzaku having found it, "he's only passed out." He picked up his friend's surprisingly light form bridle style and loaded him into the passenger's seat of his truck.

He jumped into the driver's seat and started driving for home. As he did so, Lelouch shifted in his unconscious slumber, leaning his head on Suzaku's shoulder and wrapping and arm around his waist.

The brunette smiled, glad to have the light of his world returned to him so unexpectedly.


	5. Chapter 2: Forgiven

Chapter Two

Forgiven

Lelouch woke up in a bed that was not his, in a bedroom that he had never seen before. Odd as that was, the first thought that came to Lelouch was, "Where are my clothes?"

Yep, where were his clothes. Not "Where am I," or, "How did I get here?" He wanted to know where his clothes were.

Lelouch noticed a pile of freshly laundered clothes sitting in a chair with a note attached to them.

He attempted to read the note but the effort made him dizzy, so he just put the clothes on and went in search of the owner of them.

He walked slowly down the hallway leading to the room with a hand on the wall to steady himself.

As he reached the end of the hall, he heard a voice from right behind him say, "You're finally awake then?" Lelouch spun around in an attempt to find the source of the voice but the quick movement made him lightheaded and he began to topple backwards.

He prepared himself for his incoming impact with the floor, but he never fell that far. The person that had spoken must have caught him. Lelouch glanced up so he could thank the person that had caught him, but the words died in his throat as he stared into the man's deep green eyes. He stared into the emotion filled face he had never expected to see again, and all that he could say was, "Suzaku?"

***

Suzaku was just throwing the last load of laundry into the dryer when he heard the bedroom door open and close.

A sudden rush of fear gripped Suzaku as a stream of questions he had never thought would apply to Lelouch came to the forefront of his mind. What if he hates me? What if he doesn't accept my apology? Then, the worst one occurred to Suzaku and he asked himself, "What if he doesn't love me anymore?"

As much as he feared the answer to all of these questions, he found himself moving toward the door and stepping out into the hallway.

He found himself saying "You're finally awake then," even though he was numb with fear.

Lelouch spun around trying to find his voice and started to topple. Suzaku then found himself rushing forward to catch him before he hit the floor.

He also found himself captivated in his childhood friend's eyes. He could see the fear, wonder, confusion and joy swimming in those violet pools as his friend glanced up at him.

Lelouch reached up and stroked his cheek. "Suzaku," he asked, "Oh my god, Suzaku, is that really you?"

"Yeah," answered Suzaku feeling his voice waver a bit, "it's me Lulu." Lelouch stood and turned around so that he was facing Suzaku and stared into his eyes. Suzaku could see the question and the underlying pain it cause Lelouch in his friend's eyes. The one thing Lelouch needed to know. Why?

The thought that he had hurt Lelouch deeper than anything else could possibly have, made Suzaku's legs quit supporting his weight, and he crumpled to his knees.

"I'm sorry," sobbed Suzaku with tears streaming down his face, "I'm so sorry." "You must hate me," continued Suzaku, gaze locked on the floor before him.

Lelouch kneeled down in front of Suzaku and gave him a reassuring hug and whispered, "I could never hate you Suzaku." A wave of relief flowed over Suzaku as he hugged Lelouch back and sobbed into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Suzaku sobbed again, not knowing what else to say. Lelouch pulled back slightly, wiping the tears from Suzaku's cheeks with his thumb as he whispered, "Don't be, I forgave you years ago. I can't hate someone I still love." Having said that, Lelouch leaned back in and gave Suzaku a long, deep kiss before pulling away slightly and saying, "Now you just need to forgive yourself."


	6. Chapter 3: Euphemia

Chapter Three

Euphemia

Suzaku half walked, half carried Lelouch into the kitchen and sat him down at the table as he set about preparing food. Lelouch gazed around the apartment as he fought the urge to stumble to the bathroom and throw up the contents of his stomach.

Suzaku lived in a small apartment that looked like it had seen its fair share of renters. The carpets were stained, and some of the walls had wallpaper while others were painted and peeling. The furniture was run-down and there were things strewn all about the room. Yet Lelouch already felt more at home in this little Suzaku shrine than his own house.

Suzaku set a steaming mug of something down in front of Lelouch and advised that he drink it and try to ignore the taste.

Lelouch nodded, took a sip and almost threw up it tasted so horrible. Was Suzaku trying to poison him on top of his having a hangover?

"It tastes like shit I know, but it helps get rid of a hangover," Suzaku said.

Lelouch gave a mental shrug and downed the rest of the contents of the mug, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he set the cup down on the table. He had a sneaking suspicion that Suzaku had enjoyed watching that. A suspicion made all the stronger when Suzaku chuckled at Lelouch's discomfort. Lelouch smiled a bit at that and waited for Suzaku to finish cooking.

***

Suzaku was going about preparing the meal, laughing at Lelouch as he did so. He was filled with such over-radiant joy that his childhood friend didn't hate him and, in fact, still harbored affection for him. He rushed around the kitchen for a few more minutes before sliding the food onto plates, placing one in front of Lelouch and the other in front of his customary chair.

The friends that had once been so close as to be brothers sat and ate in awkward silence until Suzaku asked, "So what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a C.E.O. of a bank," answered Lelouch, continuing to eat his meal with out looking up from the plate.

Suzaku felt his jaw drop as his friend said that so matter-of-factly. "Well damn, I guess you live in a little bit of a classier place than my humble apartment here," said Suzaku sheepishly, feeling his apartment was unworthy of having his friend inside of it.

"It's a bit bigger and whiter," agreed Lelouch, "but yours is cozy and everything here reminds me of you. Mine is big and empty, more of a work of art than a place for living."

"Ah," said Suzaku, "well feel free to stop by anytime you're feeling lonely." Suzaku smiled suggestively as he said this, causing a blush to cover Lelouch's face.

Suzaku chuckled at Lelouch's reaction to his implied joke until he glanced at the clock. Feeling the smile slide off his face, he exclaimed, "Shit, I'm late!"

"And just where," Lelouch asked with amusement coloring his voice, "are you late to, Suzaku?"

"Work!" he cried back, franticly pulling on socks and shoes.

"Ah," answered Lelouch, "well where do _you_ work then? Seeing as we were just on that topic."

"The bar you were at last night," answered Suzaku hurriedly as he ran around muttering, "Where the hell are my keys?"

Lelouch stood and hugged Suzaku from behind, sliding his hand into his friend's pocket. "Well, I guess I'll see you there. I'm going to take a shower first," Lelouch said. "And here are your keys," Lelouch almost purred into Suzaku's ear as he slid his hand out of his pocket and dangled the mentioned items in front of Suzaku's face.

Suzaku watched, totally bewildered, as Lelouch waltzed down the hall towards the bathroom. He stood there wondering what that was all about until he remembered he was already late and ran out the door cursing.

------------------------Damn it! My tea melted in my ice!-------------------------

Lelouch stepped out of the taxi as it pulled into the parking lot. The ride had seemed to be a long one due to the driver's need to tell him his life's story, but it was over and he was striding through the bar's door to catch a glimpse of the world in which his Suzaku had lived.

How had Suzaku gotten along without him? Had he shunned the company of others as he had? Or had he continued to shine like the sun, bringing light to everyone around him just as he had done when they were little?

The bar was more or less empty when Lelouch walked in; only an old man sipping from a mug as he stared into its amber colored depths was there. A young woman walked through the doors at the back of the bar carrying a box that clinked with the sound of glass bottles bumping into each other.

She sat the box down and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear asking, "Is there anything I can get you?"

"Suzaku," answered Lelouch simply, resting his chin on his hand, looking bored out of his mind.

"I'm sorry?" asked the woman confusedly.

Speaking slowly as if talking with a child, Lelouch repeated his request saying, "I would like you to bring me Suzaku Kururugi if he is available."

Lelouch saw a dark, unidentifiable emotion flash across her eyes as she said with a sickeningly sweet voice, "Sure, I can go see if he's busy for you." She gave him a sickeningly sweet smile as she turned and exited the bar through the same door she had entered.

Lelouch spent his time waiting by musing at the irony of meeting Suzaku on the anniversary of the day he had thought him gone forever.

Suzaku walked through the door while he was musing on this ironic coincidence, giving Lelouch a large grin, happy to see him. Lelouch found it impossible to keep the small smile from playing across his feature in return. Until, that is, he saw the woman from before tailing Suzaku, a fierce frown set on her face.

"Hey Lelouch," Suzaku said happily as he took up a stool next to him. "I was beginning to wonder…" he started before the girl tugged on his sleeve saying, "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

Embarrassment clear on his face, Suzaku mumbled an apology and introduced the girl as Euphemia. Euphemia smiled sweetly at Suzaku as he turned back to Lelouch.

"So, Lelouch, why exactly _did_ you want to come visit me at work?"

"Well," said Lelouch as he stared at Euphemia who was glaring daggers back at him, "I didn't really have anywhere else to spend a perfectly good Saturday."

Suzaku grinned and replied, "Can't say I'm sorry to hear it, but I can't believe they let you have the weekends off, being a C.E.O. and all."

"They don't," said Lelouch shifting his gaze to Suzaku, "the world will still go on even if I'm not there though."

"Well then," said Suzaku, his grin undiminished, "since your not doing anything tomorrow, want to go catch a movie?"

"That would depend on the movie I guess," answered Lelouch, ignoring the absolute death glare he was receiving from Euphemia, "but if its not something stupid I don't see why not. Hell, we can make a date out of it."

He watched worlds explode in Euphemia's eyes as Suzaku laughed and began discussing what movie and time.

End of Chapter Three


	7. Chapter 4: Bet

Chapter Four

Bet

Lelouch sighed as he leaned back on the bench. Of course Suzaku was late, had he really expected something different? They had agreed to meet up half an hour before the movie started, and it was now five or so minutes before the movie was to begin.

So Lelouch sat there fuming and imagining all the wonderfully abusive words that he would bestow upon the brunette when he _did_ show up. The movie had just started seating when Suzaku arrived in his old, beat up truck and jogged over to where Lelouch was seated.

"Sorry I'm so late," said Suzaku apologetically once he had jogged over, "There was this HUGE accident on the highway."

And all the mean, abusive things Lelouch had intended to yell at Suzaku vanished from his mind as Suzaku smiled at him abashedly. So instead Lelouch gave a small smile, rolled his eyes and said, "Let's go before we miss the _entire _movie."

Suzaku grinned at Lelouch's mock exasperation, grabbed his wrist and flew into the theater to grab seats.

----------------------------------I Like Turtles------------------------------------

Suzaku's eyes were glued to the screen as victim after victim was mutilated by the monster. How in the hell had Lelouch talked him into watching this? Suzaku had voted for a comedy or chick flick but Lelouch had insisted that the horror movie would be much more entertaining.

Shooting a quick glare Lelouch's way, Suzaku hissed angrily, "You're enjoying watching me almost shit my pants aren't you?"

Lelouch smiled and, without glancing away from the screen, answered, "I find that you are extremely adorable when uncomfortable."

"Well, that's very nice of you," retorted Suzaku, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lelouch chuckled at Suzaku completely unaware that he had done so during yet another murder scene.

"This movie is evil, Lulu," complained Suzaku still unable to stop watching.

"Its better than having to listen to you bawl your eyes out to some cheap chick flick," said Lelouch, amusement coloring his voice.

"I so would _not_ start crying," mumbled Suzaku indignantly, crossing his arms and pouting at the screen.

"Really," asked Lelouch, doubt showing clearly in his voice.

"Yeah, really," returned Suzaku still pouting cutely in his seat.

"Care to bet on it then," Lelouch asked playfully, staring at Suzaku's pouting face with amusement.

"Sure, why not? Sounds like something I could _easily_ win," said Suzaku, grinning at Lelouch in the darkness of the theater.

"If you're sure, but if I do just happen to win, you will have to do _anything_ I tell you to do for an entire day," Lelouch said, smiling evilly, already planning that promised day out in his head.

"Well, seeing as I'm going to win, you are going to owe me a free dinner at a restaurant of my choosing," returned Suzaku, his smugness showing on his face.

"Alright," agreed Lelouch, "but I get to pick the movie."

"Okay, you're on," laughed Suzaku, having completely forgotten the horrors of the current movie.

***

Euphemia glared at the back of Lelouch's head. She was sitting in the back of the theater trying to bore a hole into Lelouch's head with her baleful gaze.

She had over heard their plans to go to the movies, shaking with a jealous rage at the mention of it being a date, and had raced ahead of Suzaku, looking for _some_ way to stop him for getting there. She had run several red lights, causing the mother of all accidents to build up in her wake.

Still, Suzaku had managed to arrive, and the two had proceeded to watch their little movie regardless of her titanic efforts.

"He's mine! He was always mine! You lost him the day you let your mother break his heart," fumed Euphy to herself.

She needed to remove Lelouch from the picture; if he were gone, then she would have Suzaku all to herself.

It was just like one of those comical "light bulb" moments. The idea of getting Lelouch out of the picture laid the foundations of a plan.

Grinning in the gloom, she began to formulate her scheme to the sounds of people dying horrifying deaths. Suzaku would be _hers!_

End of Chapter Four

***Auther's Note!* So now that we have arrived at Chapter four, it's time for you guys to get a say in what happens! Who do YOU guys want to win this little bet? Lelouch or Suzaku? The day of Kinglyness? Or the romantic dinner? Leave your vote in a review and I shall talley them! The final count is this Saturday so get it up there quick!**


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